If dhrupad is the hoary matriarch of modern Indian classical music, khayal is its finest and most exquisite offspring. If dhrupad is the finest epitome of classicism in North Indian music, its offspring offers the quintessence of both classicism and romanticism. To use an analogy drawn from myth, khayal is the amrit (nectar) that emerged from the hands of the superbly beautiful Mohini, when the milky ocean of dhrupad was churned. Khayal is the fruit of the democratisation that North Indian classical music underwent from the 18th century on - a development that was to have far-reaching effects in terms of its wide appeal and it`s even wider reach. The form, as one hears today is most definitely the result of a cumulative process of experimentation and liberalisation that took place from the 18th century on, and continues well into the present. Few wonder that the word khayal is Persian means `imagination`, for it has to come to symbolise all those wondrous things one associates with the word.

Importantly, khayal is also the outcome of the inter-cultural gratifying and blending. Most musicologists and scholars hold that khayal is the happy aftermath of the incorporation of two cultures. The very presence of the `unalloyed` music of South India, which was largely free from Islamic conquests, points to the cultural divergence that took place between North and South India, which was followed by Islamic invasions. Khayal is possibly one of the finest creations to emerge from the melting thoughts of Hindu and Muslim imaginations. It is, of all Indian classical musical forms, the living symbol of cultural fusion and integration, of voluminous heterogeneity and unbounded accommodation.

Origin and Development of Khayal: Khayal has come a long way, by overcoming hurdles in its path, to what it is today. The emergence of khayal can be attributed to the 12th or 13th centuries, during the growth of Islam in India. The newly arrived Muslim rulers were just spellbound by the diversity of North Indian music and its singers. Dhrupad, during that time, was already an established form of musical genre, to which was added Persian and Arabic tinges. Thus, dhrupad took a backseat, and khayal emerged in all its splendour. Most khayal gharanas are known to have evolved from old dhrupadi gharanas, thus sometimes referred to as the offspring of dhrupad. Some of the evidence point out that khayal might have improvised from Amir Khusro, the legendary Persian musician. However, it was not until the rise of the Mughals, that khayal came into full vogue. Mohhamed Shah can be called the propagator of this classical musical genre, who much enthusiastically endorsed khayal in his court. A fascinating story of court instrumentalist Niyamat Khan, is recited here in this regard, who was another individual behind the evolving of khayal. Gradually, khayal caught the air of contemporaneity, and innovative themes, like alaap, raaga, taan, or bol-taan were introduced. And singers took to it this rhythmic singing with much gusto.

Features and facets of khayal: Khayal can essentially be divided into eight constituents, upon which a khayal recital is primarily based. A khayal recital is primarily based on two basic constituents, the bada hayal and the chhota khayal. A characteristic khayal concert must commence with a bada khayal, sung in slow tempo; however, some of the gharanas prefer to sing it in a medium tempo. The bada khayal is rendered using a song-text or bandish. Each note and shade of a raaga is elucidated systematically and comprehensively in all the three octaves. These days, an able singer could take anywhere from half an hour to 40 minutes to render a bada khayal. The slow tempo bada khayal is followed by a chhota khayal, set to drut laya or fast tempo. Chhota khayal offers greater scope for faster figures, incredible improvisations and luminous rhythmic play. Many singers conclude the raaga presentation with the chhota khayal. Others may choose to round off with a scintillating tarana in drut or ati-drut tempo. This is the basic format and structure of a typical khayal rendition. But the structure referred emotes aesthetic beauty; thus for the sake of simple ness, the chief constituent parts of a khayal are taken to be eight in number. These include - alaap, bandish, bol-alaap, bol-baant, bol-taan, taan, sargam and layakari. These are called ashta anga or the eight limbs of the khayal.

Khayal Gharanas: Khayal is an extremely diversified form of music, thus establishing a number of illustrious gharanas to rely on. A number of gharanas sprouted in several parts of North and Central India, towards the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. A considerable number of them came into being, owing to breaches and fissions between occurring in a parent gharana. Noticeable also is the migration of gifted singers from a specific gharana with regional affiliations, to other parts of the country in search of professional opportunities as also for economic well-being. Their subsequent declaration of independence by starting a new style is often the product of the satisfying of their innovations onto the shared tradition. A new style can also come into existence as a result of cross-pollination or graftings of diversified styles. Such `eclectic` gharanas may possess no distinct or distinguishing characteristics of their own, but base their repute on the recognition of their equally eclectic singers. Yet, above all, all tenacity pays. More than anything, a gharana must possess staying power. That alone would guarantee its permanency of some kind.